The latest newcomer in Olympus’s “Micro Four Thirds” lineup
is the E-PL8 – which priced at $550, sits on the low-end of the price point for
the company’s series of advanced compact cameras. It replaces the E-PL7 as the
starter camera for consumers interested in using Olympus’s ILC system. It comes
packed with a 16MP CMOS sensor, continuous shooting rate of 8 fps, built-in-Wi-Fi
and 1.04M-dot touchscreen; The camera’s easy-to-use software and performance make
it a great camera for those who are new to photography or are looking to
upgrade their smartphone camera.
One of the first aspects about this camera that should be
highlighted is the design – this thing is beauty. The E-PL8 looks more like a
fashion-accessory than a camera but it still has the high-quality feel and
build that one would expect from Olympus. Its aluminum body wrapped in leather
gives the camera a very classy appearance. It comes in a variety of colors
including White with brown accents, Black, and Silver with tan leather accents.
Camera makers have been attempting to target younger clients and this design is
proof that Olympus is one of those companies trying to appeal to millennials
craving style and functionality.
Since the E-PL8 image sensor is essentially the same as what
you would find in its predecessor, I expected the image quality to be similar
(which it was). However, this is not the bad thing since the E-PL7 had good
image quality for its class. For a camera of this size and class, it comes with
higher end features and is an overall versatile photographic tool. The native
ISO range of 200-25,600 on the E-PL8 remains the same as its predecessor with
an expanded low ISO option of 100. Images don’t produce very much until you
push the camera past ISO 6400. Images become almost unusable once the camera is
pushed past 12,800 ISO.
While overall performance of the camera was good, I would’ve
liked Olympus to be a little more innovative in terms of its features. I was
underwhelmed with the lack of a new sensor and mediocre video specs. Olympus is
advertising this as an “advanced amateur camera,” but I think the lack of a lens
with the camera body could also leave customers feeling a little overwhelmed
financially. When all is said in done, the camera can easily run $700-$800 and
for a cheaper price, I think the PL7 will serve you just as well.
